Mine are close to perfection with all mods overdone & combined, haha
Super solid heavy casing, no hollow feel, no resonances, nice bass extension no flab with little bass bloom on stock pads.
Modified into a nice slight v shape sig with help of that special padding I used ha.
They are not forward anymore..

I stuffed two layers of semi thick sock into the cabinet. Then I used sticky back foam for sealing cabinets with speakers you build, to go around the case that holds the driver. I applied tape to the outside but not over the stock ports. The stock ports that had a breathable tape are imparitive to be opened up once you've done the sock mod. If you don't do this you'll be forced to do the Q-tip mod to compensate but it won't be as good anyway. You could leave one port taped (factory tape) over for slightly more bass but I prefer vocals forward; the rest you cut out. Plus rap music still thumps and what not. Over on Audiocircle everyone has been opening their ports back up and loving it.

I opened up those ports and listened - then I covered them up again and listened - then I opened them up again and listened. Your results/listening preferences may vary but I prefer them covered up. I found the sound bass thin with the ports open - though the bass may have more initial impact.

One person said to open one port at a time to hear what you like so I covered up two of the ports and there was more bass there.

I guess if I had to do it again, I would cover up two of the ports without having punched a hole in that white tape. Oh well. I'll just keep all the ports covered.

Just to report back, I've got to say I've tried with these cans. It's not difficult to explain why I just don't like them - muffled, muffled, muffled!! There's no treble quality at all to speak of. I know I sound harsh, but it's just turned midnight and it's my birthday and I'm just enjoying a couple of glasses of wine and listening to some music.

I'm not at home, so I don't have my rig available. I'm listening through my Samsung Galaxy S2 at the moment, to Gounod's Petite Symphonie, as I've just been asked to conduct it at a memorial concert for an old chap from one of our local orchestras who passed away recently and had been a member for 50 years. I feel very honoured to have been asked to do this gig (I normally play trumpet with them). My point is, that I'm just on Spotify having a quick listen to the work as I don't know it and I'm really struggling to hear any detail up top in this chamber orchestra work. All I hear is a warm and unnatural presence of low mid/bass frequencies and everything above that is small, distant and smoothed over. This character has permeated my listening experience of these cans since I bought them, despite my having positive moments listening to other genres, burning them in and modding them slightly.

I love the build quality and comfort of them. Aesthetically, they are very pleasing, but I really can't see what the big deal about them is (expect maybe that they can go loud with big, crude bass without breaking up). Maybe my taste of music is not suited to them, as I enjoyed some more electronic/pop stuff on them earlier today. Jamiroquai had a good kick to it for example, but the over produced sound of their material does not call for or even benefit particularly from a realistic timbre.

I know many of you are saying, yes but for the money etc., but I have just swapped over to my Koss KSC-75s and I am streets ahead in happiness and satisfaction immediately, in terms of dynamics, pacing, clarity, refinement, soundstage, openness and detail and these cost me £10!!

Sorry to be negative, but I can't find anything that impresses me except their look and build!

Just to report back, I've got to say I've tried with these cans. It's not difficult to explain why I just don't like them - muffled, muffled, muffled!! There's no treble quality at all to speak of. I know I sound harsh, but it's just turned midnight and it's my birthday and I'm just enjoying a couple of glasses of wine and listening to some music.

As I've said before, I found them unlistenable when I first got them. Unless you are willing to do the tape mod, you might as well return them if you can.

As I've said before, I found them unlistenable when I first got them. Unless you are willing to do the tape mod, you might as well return them if you can.

...been awhile since I posted on these but hang in there Matt...still mod free after all this time...however I have modded an unmodded and experimented with all of these and still like the stock signature the best...I might have the record for breaking these in heavily 200+ hrs in 4-6 hour increments (just because I had the time)...I think I have reaped the rewards because of it...still think these are just outstanding...as far as the Galaxy...a buddy of mine went out and bought some of these on my recommendation and was a party one night and had brought them knowing I was going to be there...he was extremely impressed and said he was listening to them through the Galaxy 2...I had my Clip+ (Rockboxed) with me and said listen to them through these...he went Whoa!!!

...not dissing the KSC-75 because I like them very much but a different animal for sure...they sure are a PITA to wear...and the build quality is terrible...I think if you hang on to these you will be very glad you did if you beat these in nicely....these nanotubes take time and that is a fact I have found to be true...but not to make excuses but you can't ever underestimate build quality and these have it and you will find out about the sound later and will be rewarded...W-H-I-T-E B-A-B-Y - SFW!!!...chick magnets....

...been awhile since I posted on these but hang in there Matt...still mod free after all this time...however I have modded an unmodded and experimented with all of these and still like the stock signature the best...I might have the record for breaking these in heavily 200+ hrs in 4-6 hour increments (just because I had the time)...I think I have reaped the rewards because of it...still think these are just outstanding...as far as the Galaxy...a buddy of mine went out and bought some of these on my recommendation and was a party one night and had brought them knowing I was going to be there...he was extremely impressed and said he was listening to them through the Galaxy 2...I had my Clip+ (Rockboxed) with me and said listen to them through these...he went Whoa!!!

...not dissing the KSC-75 because I like them very much but a different animal for sure...they sure are a PITA to wear...and the build quality is terrible...I think if you hang on to these you will be very glad you did if you beat these in nicely....these nanotubes take time and that is a fact I have found to be true...but not to make excuses but you can't ever underestimate build quality and these have it and you will find out about the sound later and will be rewarded...W-H-I-T-E B-A-B-Y - SFW!!!...chick magnets....

Yes, Yes, Yes!!! That is a 1000000000x true statement. I wanna be humble and all but since you brought it up, i couldn't help but simply agree with you regarding that understatement.

...been awhile since I posted on these but hang in there Matt...still mod free after all this time...however I have modded an unmodded and experimented with all of these and still like the stock signature the best...I might have the record for breaking these in heavily 200+ hrs in 4-6 hour increments (just because I had the time)...I think I have reaped the rewards because of it...still think these are just outstanding...as far as the Galaxy...a buddy of mine went out and bought some of these on my recommendation and was a party one night and had brought them knowing I was going to be there...he was extremely impressed and said he was listening to them through the Galaxy 2...I had my Clip+ (Rockboxed) with me and said listen to them through these...he went Whoa!!!

...not dissing the KSC-75 because I like them very much but a different animal for sure...they sure are a PITA to wear...and the build quality is terrible...I think if you hang on to these you will be very glad you did if you beat these in nicely....these nanotubes take time and that is a fact I have found to be true...but not to make excuses but you can't ever underestimate build quality and these have it and you will find out about the sound later and will be rewarded...W-H-I-T-E B-A-B-Y - SFW!!!...chick magnets....

Mine are well over 500+ hrs aggressive burning and 200hrs+ listening ...I feel they still have yet to settle fully !

^ Geeez Ghost, at least have the common courtesy to put that in a spoiler alert click option. Some people just have no class these days.

@all the mad S400s moddsters

Man I am with ghost and hersey, etc on this one. I really feel no need or have the need to modd these S400s beyond the point of that taped bass port/ pad changes. But I'll try that ULTRA TAPE mod of merci's since i promised i'll do it. Happy modding you'll and continue to enjoy them S400s. cuz lord knows i haven't. LoL My damn ULTIMATE Modded S500s got all the love for now.

The important thing to note perhaps is that I put in two layers of thick sock behind the driver. I've got enough bass, pretty good bass. I could have more if I covered up a port, but I haven't found the need. The more time they play the more the bass increases too... I burn mine in for 8-10hrs overnight. They are nowhere near 200hr or whatever though.

The important thing to note perhaps is that I put in two layers of thick sock behind the driver. I've got enough bass, pretty good bass. I could have more if I covered up a port, but I haven't found the need. The more time they play the more the bass increases too... I burn mine in for 8-10hrs overnight. They are nowhere near 200hr or whatever though.

I got mine before x-mas. I have them plugged into my receiver and it's played for hours every day. They've been played for around 200 hours.

Post 832 (p.56) - I've used more dense materials and yes, the bass is more prominent but it just brings out the midrange too much for me because I just don't like the midrange (somewhere in the area of 800hz - high voices) on these things.

did anyone step down from a (unmodded) s500 to an unmodded s400 and does not regret it?

I saw this post in the s500 thread.

"tried hd25 velours. still piercing. there is nother problem for me: these nicely build but crapy sounding headphones have zero soundstage, layering and imaging. even the already congested sounding k518 has better depth and layering. maybe it is just me, but i think i stumbled in the overhype trap again."

I don't have the s500's but people have said that those are much better than the s400's. If you're not going to mod (damp the resonance on the plastic) the 400's, I'd save your money for something else.